1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an inspection probe for use in an inspection of a vibration state by an ultrasonic vibration, in an ultrasonic treatment apparatus which is configured to treat a treated target by using the ultrasonic vibration. In addition, the invention relates to a vibration state inspection system including the inspection probe, and a method of inspecting a vibration state using the vibration state inspection system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2009-254821 discloses an ultrasonic treatment apparatus which treats a treated target, such as a living body tissue, by using an ultrasonic vibration. In this ultrasonic treatment apparatus, an electric current is supplied from a current control unit to an ultrasonic transducer which is a vibration generator provided in a transducer unit, and thereby an ultrasonic vibration is generated. The generated ultrasonic vibration is transmitted from a proximal direction toward a distal direction in an ultrasonic probe which is provided in a handpiece that is an ultrasonic treatment instrument. In addition, using the transmitted ultrasonic vibration, treatment is performed at a treatment section provided in a distal portion of the ultrasonic probe. Besides, in this ultrasonic treatment apparatus, the temperature of the ultrasonic transducer is detected by an abnormality detection circuit which is provided in the current control unit. When the temperature of the ultrasonic transducer is higher than a threshold, an abnormal state in which the handpiece is not normally actuated, such as a state in which a crack occurs in the ultrasonic probe, is determined. Specifically, based on a determination result in the abnormality detection circuit, it is discriminated whether the handpiece including the ultrasonic probe is normally actuated or not.